Vincent w



{No Model.)

'v. W. WILSON.

ORNAMENTAL 00MB.

No. 248,542. Patented Oct. 18,1881.

N FUERS. mum Wuhlamon, QC.

NITED STATES PATENT Fries VINCENT WV. WILSON, OF FORT EDWVARD, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE ALDRIOH COOK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF LEOMINSTER, MASS.

AL COMB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,542, dated October 18, 1881.

Application filed August 6, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VINCENT W. WILsoN, of Fort Edward, in the county of Washington and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Ladies Ornamcn tal Combs, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention has reference to the combs worn by ladies for ornament as a part of their head-dress, and has for its object to avoid the objections attending the use of the ordinary toothed combs,and to produceasimple, light, and comparatively inexpensive article, which can be readily placed in position, and which, in use, is adapted to hold the hair firmly, and is not liable to drop out or be accidentallydisplaced.

The principal part of theimproved comb consists of a curved band of elastic and flexible material, with its ends pointed and turned inward, so as to take into the hair when placed in position. In connection with this band, for greater security, one or more steady-pins are employed. These pins, which may be hairpins or other suitable devices, preferably constitute a permanent part of the article; but, if desired, the band may simply be provided with eyelets or other holders for receiving the steady-pins, which are to be inserted by the user as occasion may require. The band may be ornamented in a variety of ways. It may be simply and cheaply adorned by beads of jet, glass, rubber, or similar material secured to it at regular intervals; or, if the band be made of metal, beads of gold or silver may be attached thereto and a high degree of ornamentation thus attained. The ornamental piece may be made like the head of the ordinary shell combs, and provided with projections which enter slots in the band and are secured therein by pins or rivets. In this case the steady-pin may be formed in one piece with the head or top piece and pass through a slot in the center of the flexible band.

The accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, represent several forms of combs constructed in accordance with the invention.

Similar letters indicate like parts on all the figures.

Ais aflexible band of elastic material, curved as shown, and provided at the ends with points or books a.

B is the ornamental part or top, and O the steady-pin. I

In Figure 1 the ornamental partor top piece, B, is formed of aplate of shell, metal, or other ornamental substance suitably carved and embellished, and is secured to the band A by means of projections 11, which pass through slots in said band and are held therein by pins, as shown. The steady-pin O is formed in one piece with the top B, and projects downward through a central slot in band A.

In Fig. 2 the ornamental part is shown as consisting of a number of beads, B, which may be secured in place by shanks screwed at suitable distances apart into the band A, and the pin O is an ordinary hair-pin, the two ends of which pass through two small holes in the band. It may be held in place by the central bead, as shown, or in any other way. This form of pin may with advantage be substituted for that shown in Fig. 1, as by such arrangement the stock can sometimes be utilized to greater advantage. In that case a small notch would be out in the lower part of the top piece to cover the pin and keepitin place. Instead of one pin in the center of the band, two pins may be employed, one 011 each side of the cen 8o ter, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, or other suitable number could be used.

Fig.3 representsacomb of metal. The band A consists of a thin metal strip,to which is se cured the pinOby solderiugorotherwise. The ornamental part consists of a loop or how, B, of metal wire, which may be ornamented by attaching thereto imitations of flowers, as shown, or ornaments of other designs. This wire loop may be made separately from the 0 band and be soldered thereto, or it may be made in one piece therewith, the ends of the loop of wire, after passing each other at the point C, being curved downward to form the band.

In Fig. 4 the top B is hinged at r, and pivoted at t to the band, so that it can be turned in any direction or placed at any angle independent of the latter. The steady-pin may be a double wire pin, as in Fig. 2, or may consist 100 of a piece of rigid material screwed or riveted to the under side of band A, as shown.

Fig. 5 isacentral sectional view of the comb represented in Fig. 1, showing the shape preferably given to the band A when made of rubberorsimilarmaterial,the blankheing stamped out from a sheet and afterward bent. To a point about midway on either side it curves forward instead of down--that is, both horizontally and vertically-and for the rest of the distance in a vertical plane only. This shape conforms to that of the head, and gives the article, when in use, a natural and graceful po sition upon the head of the wearer.

It is obvious that various other modifications could be made withoutdepartingfrom the spirit of the invention.

In placing the comb in position the hooks or points a of the flexible band A are drawn apart, the pin 0 insertedin its proper place, and the band released and allowed to adjust itself to the head, the points a entering into the hair. The pin 0, co-operating with the band, gives additional security, and the comb is firmly retained in place without discomfort to the wearer.

The entire band can, if desired, be easily concealed from sight by thehair ot' the wearer.

Having now fully described my said invention and the manner of carrying the sameinto effect, what I claim is- 1. An elastic band having the ends pointed and turned in under the body of the band, so as to form hooks in, or approximately in, the plane of the band, and provided with one or more inwardly-projecting steady-pins or hold ers therefor, at or near the middle of the band, substantially as described.

2. An elastic band, constituting or forming part of a lad ys comb, curved both horizontally and vertically, so as to conform to the shape of the head, and having the ends pointed and turned in under the body of the band, so as to form hooks in, or approximately in, the plane of the band, substantially as described.

3. In a comb, the combination, with a band and means, as indicated, for securing it in position, of an ornamental piece connected with said band by one or more hinge or pivotjoints, substantially as described, so as to be adj ustable in a vertical or horizontal plane, or both, as set forth.

4. An ornamental hair-comb comprising, in combination with a flexible elastic band with its ends pointed and turned in under the body of the band, so as to form books or prongs in, or approximately in, the plane of the band, an upright ornamental piece or pieces secured to said band, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the elastic flexible band, having its ends pointed and turned in under the body of the band, so as to form hooks or prongs in, or approximately in, the plane of the band, one or more steady-pins or holders therefor, at or near the center of the band, and an upright ornamental piece secured to said band, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofI have signed this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

VINCENT W. WILSON.

Witnesses:

0. H. MERRIAM, ALDRICH 000K. 

